Kria Woodsroad
by Nayeri
Summary: Carrie was graduating from college when she was shot down. She was given a second life in Middle Earth by the Valar for a single purpose: to prevent the needless pain and death of the first time line. Rated M for caution.
1. End of a Lifetime

(Author's note: All my HP fans forgive me, for like many stories before it, this one will not leave me alone. For all LotR fans, be patient. I remember, vaguely, the book and more clearly the movie. I do not know the Similarion, only the barest of stories. I am not sure of the timeline, so if someone cares to give it to me I will gladly add it. Also, the main character is not a Mary Sue, she has her faults, has no passion for any of the fellowship, nor are her powers all that great. The only resemblence to a Mary Sue is that she is, in some way, a form of me. I have been planning this for a long time, on and off, at any rate. So without further ado, I think I will have someone give the disclaimer.

Snape: Lord of the Ring does not belong to the author, nor do I.

Author: Much to my regret :P (joking)

Snape: And that will be a 100 points from Hufflepuff for your cheek, Nayeri.

Author: Ach! Read on readers, before I get into even more trouble. Ebil Slytherin...

Snape: Nayeri!)

Carrie walked with head held high, the gold tassel waving in her face, the diploma crisp in her hands. She took her place amongst the graduates of 2014, the first in her family to go so far in her education. Her eyes caught her waving family, and she smiled at them. They held undiluted pride at her graduating; her mother, grandmother and mate had all come to see this special day. It was a day she would always remember, in more ways than one.

As the final diploma was handed out, and the ceremony about to end, someone in the back stood on his chair. He carried with him the nightmare of the modern world: a gun. It was of the variety where he could shoot multiple times without much effort. Thus the massacre began, as several people were gunned down like so many stands of wheat before the blade.

Carrie, and the other graduates, had the benefit of being on stage. To off-set that, it meant they were sitting ducks. They scattered as soon as they head the first shot ring out. They were fortunate in the fact that the shooter seemed to want to do it from back to front. This would have given Carrie every opportunity to get away. The thing that stopped her from fleeing was the sight of her family being carelessly killed as if they were so many rodents.

Seeing that was the catalyst for the stupidest move she ever made: she ran to her family, her cry more a primal screech of agony. It pierced the room, sounding even over the other cries of pain and horror. It made her a direct target, as well. The shooter, though, was apparently not good with single moving targets, as each blast seemed to just miss the running figure. However, Carrie's luck ended as she felt pain explode from her shoulder down her waist in a diaganol movement. She was mere feet from reaching her family as she fell, her life stripped from her by the cruel, uncaring mind of a killer.

She awoke in a room of quiet darkness, surprised to feel an almost solid substance under her. She could not see anything, as there was no light to be had in that place. She had the feeling, though, that she was somehwere outside of time itself. There was no pain, though the holes were still in her. She also felt weightless, as she hadn't felt in many years.

She sat like that in the dark for what could have been seconds, minutes, hours, days, months or years. Finally, after eternity seemed to pass for her, she saw the barest glimmer of light. Looking up, her pupils narrowed quickly to prevent blindness. She saw little more than light, though there was a vague figure within. She heard a voice in her mind ~_Young one, you are in limbo. You are dead, yet your purpose was left unfinished. If you choose, we will give you another purpose and another life, changing things that went wrong in another lifetime. However, it will be a hard life, and you will be alone until your task is over. Do you want to try, or do you wish to pass on with your family?_~

Carrie asked first after her mate and family, her main concern. She was told that the older two would be at peace in paradise; her mate, however, was being given the same choice she was, though his task would be a different one. She thought it over quietly, and finally spoke up "I will take the task and chance you are giving me."

She was told that she would be deaged to ten, and would have twenty-five years to hone every skill she would need before her quest was to start. She was also given a new name, one more suited to the place which she was going: Kria Woodsroad.

_**Twenty-five years later**_

Kria looked out on the beautiful greens, browns and blues that spread out in front of her hazel eyes. She leaned on her walking staff idly, thinking over what she had learned. _It_ had been found, in the most unlikely place imaginable, and the people of this area had no idea the danger that sat at the very heart of their lands.

Sighing, she started walking again, heading to a hole in a hill she had once read about many years and a lifetime ago. Finding herself flung into _this_ story like, only five and twenty years before the great war, was rather disconcerting. To add to the confusion was the fact that she was in a ten year old's body, welcoming visits from a stranger who quickly became a friend, and learning fast how to survive in the wild on top of the skills she already had to survive alone. The first fifteen years she had spent training, honing the seven talents she'd been given. The next ten she had spent wandering, meeting people, and earning new friends.

That had ended a few months ago, and since then she had made her way to this lovely spot. She had to hurry up someone who needed to start his journey, and was waiting for his fiftieth birthday to do so. She knew that it was a mistake to wait that long, but she also knew that she wasn't going to get him out of there any sooner.

She blinked, and sighed quietly as the little folk looked mistrustfully at her. She wasn't much bigger than the tallest of them, but she was a stranger, and apparently human besides. Shrugging, she kept moving, knowing it would only be a hinderance to her to pay attention to them. She was only about an hour from her destination anyway, and she really didn't care to parley words with those who could so easily turn on each other.

A smile crept on her face an hour later as she knocked on the door of a home under a hill. A small humanoid answered, barely reaching her waist. He was a stout little thing, a kind face and furry feet. Though he looked like he was only a couple of years younger than she, Kria knew without a doubt that he was over a decade older. Bowing, she introduced herself "Greetings, Master Hobbit. I am Kria Woodsroad. The Grey Pilgrim bids me to come and meet you, and offer my services on the journey you plan to make." She had to bite back a smile at the changes in emotion, from confusion to curiosity to understanding. Despite his great part in this war, the one in front of her was truly still an innocent; an innocence she hoped to protect as much as her talents allowed.

(End Author's note: Again, sorry to deviate from my normal stories. I will return to them. All I ask is a Review for this one. I know there have been thousands of stories made in this universe. I will try to make mine original, with my limited knowledge. Also, the author notes wont be as long in following chapters.)


	2. Empathic Animouth

(Author's note: Without further ado, on we go.)

_Last time:_

_Despite his great part in this war, the one in front of her was truly still an innocent; an innocence she hoped to protect __as much as her talents allowed._

Kria sighed, perched in a tree as she waited for the hobbits to catch up. They had finally left a few hours ago, exactly as she had known they would. It still left her twitchy, for she had scented one of the Wraiths trying to find their trail. She reflected that it was not going to be easy to keep three hobbits safe; not that anything in her life had ever been easy. She always had to struggle for everything, from grades to keeping everything calm with her family when they lived in a dying world.

Her reflections were cut short as she saw first Frodo, then Sam and Pippin slip out of the last bush before her tree. Climbing down from her perch expertly, she looked them over, and then beckoned them to follow. All three hobbits were exhausted at the grueling pace she had set them, having wanted to put as many miles as she could between them and Hobbiton. It had worked, as they had traversed half way to Woodhall, and it was nearing midnight. She would allow them to rest then, knowing that it would do them no good to be half-dead before they even reached the Brandywine Bridge.

Shortly after thinking that, they came upon a clearing in a thicket. It was surrounded by tall trees, and briar, thorn and sticker patches. Indeed, they had to pull some of the sharp seeds from their clothing. Kria gathered some wood, and built a small fire in a circle of stones that the hobbits had put together. She allowed them to cook a small meal, knowing that they would have no time for warm food until they were a few hours from Woodhall after they left the thicket.

She set up a watch, determined to get them into the habit of protecting themselves and each other. She took the first one, saying that she needed to make up some traveling cakes anyway. Once the three were asleep, she took out some fat that she kept stored in a spare flask, various grains that she had picked during the harvest, as well as different kinds of berries that she had dried over the years. These she mixed up in a pot, making sure that the fat was melted, which acted like a glue to the other ingredients. She then took out a sheet of metal similar to the cookie sheets she had grown up with in her own time line. She formed the grain mixture into cakes, which she then put onto the metal sheet. They would cool, dry and harden by the time the sun was up.

Even when she was in the middle of making the cakes, she did not allow herself to grow complacent. She heard everything, smelt everything and sensed everything. She saw the dog fox stop briefly, and greeted it with a few quiet yips. This startled the fox so badly, that he ran off in the exact opposite direction that he had been heading! This caused Kria to chuckle softly, though she made sure not to make too much noise.

It wasn't long before her shift was over, and she was waking Frodo to take the second shift. He got up without complaint, and promised that he would watch the food as well as the surroundings. Kria sighed quietly, and lay down on the soft grass. It was actually quite comfortable, and a vast improvement on hard rocks. She fell asleep quickly, her dreams barely troubled by memories that she was able to push aside.

KWKWKW

Kria shuddered, watching the Wraith creep toward them. She made sure to keep a hand on Frodo's shoulder, though she could understand the panic that was emanating from him. Pippin and Sam were scared, but it was more a fear of the unknown rather than seeing evil, and knowing it is hunting you. She wondered where the elves were, and hoped that her speeding the pace up hadn't made it so they had arrived before them. There was little they could do if that were the case, as the horse would be faster than they would be on foot. The Rider would catch them, and all would fall to ruin, and she would be in torment, her quest unfulfilled.

Relief spread through her as she heard the familiar, lilting voices of elves in song. She watched in satisfaction as the Wraith slipped away on his horse, perhaps daunted by the elves and the light they contained. For she could sense them even now: High Elves, with lofty emotions, and even loftier attitudes. Yet they were a known quality, despite their aloof natures; that made them safe, to a point.

It didn't take long before the elves spotted them, and greeted the travelling party like old friends. The elves offered them a safe place for the night, and Kria welcomed it. She then echoed Frodo's thanks, causing the elves to stare at her in surprise. It was rare for one who looked human to speak elvish. The leader said softly "You must be Tamuríl Nénharma; Elrond spoke of one little bigger than a dwarf travelling with three hobbits who could understand us. You are welcome, Tamuríl Elf-friend; you as well, Frodo Baggins."

Though Kria squirmed at her elvish name, she was pleased that they did not attack her. That night they spent a comfortable time with the elves, enjoying the feast laid before them. She knew that this was meager fare for the flamboyant creatures, but after years living on mostly travelling food between stops in civilization, the meal was a feast to her.

Then came talking: Frodo wanted to know what was going on, and the elves wished to know about her. She gave the smallest of details: that her home was in the Northern Forests, and that she was a friend to Gandalf. When Frodo tried to press her, she said softly in his ear "Do not ask where there are listening ears. I will tell you in December, when the cold wind blows and stories such as mine are welcome, and safe."

The hobbit agreed, and soon after went to bed. When Kria was offered a bed, she said that she preferred to sleep near the exit. The elves agreed, and left her to it. She sighed, and looked out the door quietly. She wondered where Círdan Nénharma was, and if he dwelled on her the same way. She was grateful the Valar had told her his elvish name, as it would be impossible for her to know his Middle Earth human name. She thought his original name in her own head, holding it to her like a prayer: _Hughs_. 


End file.
